Best type of trip for good hybrid car fuel economy

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by awarberg, May 19, 2018.

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  1. awarberg

    awarberg New Member

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    I am a Toyota Auris hybrid owner. The official fuel economy (FE) on the dealer website is 27,8 km/l and my Fuelly average is 18,1 km/l. Obviously I am disappointed in only getting 2/3 of the official FE. I was expecting maybe 10 % less, as I got from my previous car.

    This makes me wonder, what kind of trips will enable this car to approach the official numbers? Here are the types of trips I mostly do:
    • Driving "around town": I live in a mid-size European city and the distances are not enough to allow the ICE to warm, so I get poor FE almost the whole trip.
    • Driving in heavy traffic: The battery drains quickly in stop-and-go traffic and the ICE needs to charge it, so (combined with above) I get poor FE.
    • Driving long distances on the highway: At 110 km/h with cruise control on (I generally use CC whenever I can). The car seems to like this type of driving and the dash FE usually goes up and stabilizing just over 20 km/l (which means 18 km/l true consumption when correcting for dash error).
    My best trip was a ½ hour drive with a 30 m elevation drop. The trip was on B roads (80 km/h) and city driving with light traffic. I got 27,1 km/l (according to the dash) so probably around 25 km/l true FE. Nice feeling, that one, but I rarely drive on B roads and most trips have no elevation difference.

    I do recall that the salesperson at the dealership was very keen, almost pleading, that I reevaluate my driving style. I am keeping up with car maintenance and anticipating lights and traffic to avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration.

    But did he really mean that I need to resort to more extreme "hyper miling" methods? I am not comfortable with pulse and glide or driving slowly, below the limit, because I feel I am aggravating other road users (not safe and stressful for all).
     
    #1 awarberg, May 19, 2018
  2. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    P&G in the "around town" scenario should work for you because you can blend the two sections to the road type, distance between traffic lights (or stop/yield signs) and traffic flow.

    The best mileage I've seen with speeds between 50-70km/h with light to moderate traffic. 30-50km/h is ok too but it's slightly below the 50-70km/h segment. Heavy traffic drains the battery, yes, so mileage goes down.

    For example, I just created a thread in the FE section showing off my mileage (26.3km/L indicated) on a trip, 77km long with speeds between 60 and 105km/h. I was able to take advantage of "Super Highway Mode" where the engine is running at its minimum rpm needed to almost maintain 80km/h and the engine is powering the wheels directly.

    Otherwise, on roads with light to moderate traffic, in the summer (25-35°C), I can get as good as 24.4km/L.

    As you know, the NEDC cycle is ridiculously optimistic. If you're curious, the US rates the Gen 3 Prius at 21.3km/L combined urban/extra urban. I think the Auris is lighter than the Prius? I can't remember.
     
    #2 Tideland Prius, May 19, 2018
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    I drive the much larger Prius v (very likely a Prius + in Europe) and my best type of driving is exemplified by my recent trip from Jackson MS to Franklin TN 300 miles at 50 MPH (480 km at 80.5 kph) That road has light traffic and no stop signs or traffic signals, This yielded 45 MPG. (19.1 km/l)

    Natchez Trace Parkway (U.S. National Park Service)
     
    #3 JimboPalmer, May 19, 2018
    Last edited: May 19, 2018
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Toyota Auris ratings on Fuelly put you in the middle of the pack:

    upload_2018-5-19_13-21-51.png
     
    #4 Mendel Leisk, May 19, 2018
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  5. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    around town gets the best mileage. i don't live in a large city, so i'm talking about 25-35mph on flattish roads, without too many stops. minimum 5 mile trips in summer and 10 in winter returns about 65-70 mpg on the dash. that's 'normal' driving, no hypermiling, no speeding, medium acceleration, keeping up with cars in line.
    i have no idea how the pip compares to the auris.
     
    #5 bisco, May 19, 2018
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  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Auris is Prius c in North America if I'm not mistaken?
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, May 19, 2018
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Scion iM/Toyota Corolla iM
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, May 19, 2018
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  8. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Boston isn’t a large city (n)?

    Or is that New Englander short selling:p.
     
    #8 Raytheeagle, May 19, 2018
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  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i'm in the metro west area, and only venture into the city a few times a year. but yes, it is actually fairly small and very walkable.:)
     
    #9 bisco, May 19, 2018
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  10. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    Is it the 1.2,1.8 or 2.0 motor?
    Slowly accelerating and driving below 42mph will achieve optimal results.
     
    #10 Lucifer, May 19, 2018
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Auris Hybrid that he/she has uses the same motor as the Gen 3 Prius.

    The new 2019 Auris Hybrid is the one with multiple engine options (1.8 and 2.0 litre hybrid options)
     
    #11 Tideland Prius, May 19, 2018
  12. Maarten28

    Maarten28 Active Member

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    I drive a Prius III and to get anywhere near the official consumption figures I need to drive long stretches on the motorway tailing a truck at whatever speed they do. If you go any faster or can't use the slipstream, you won't be able to get anywhere near.
    And I'm a defensive driver. My average is 23,4 l/km.
    And have the proper tyres and tyre pressure. I've changed tyres some 3.000 km ago and it seems like I'm doing 0,5-1 l/km more.

    My record is 2.9 l/100 km (34,5 l/km, 81 mpg) over 160 km. It was a descent of 500 meters also.
     
    #12 Maarten28, May 22, 2018
  13. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    To be honest, I get excellent mileage where ever I drive except short trips.

    Short trips- no further than 5 miles, you should block entire bottom grill.

    For highway, if you can go 55 mph with cruise control, you'll get low 60 mpgs.

    Accelerate up to the speed and pull accelerator back so EV lights up on the HSI display and hold the bar right under CONS. Your MPG meter will be up at 100 MPGs if you sustain speeds no faster than 43mph not going down hill.
     
    #13 Grit, May 25, 2018
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